Jan 12, 2016
Brady's numbers surge with both Gronk, Edelman healthy
Julian Edelman is expected to make his return to the New England Patriots’ lineup for their Divisional Round tilt against the Chiefs. That’s good news for Tom Brady, who finally gets a full complement of receivers to work with come Saturday.
, TSN.ca Staff
Julian Edelman is expected to make his return to the New England Patriots’ lineup this weekend for their Divisional Round tilt against the Kansas City Chiefs after missing seven regular season games this year.
That’s good news for Tom Brady, who finally gets a full complement of receivers to work with come Saturday afternoon.
Brady’s had to deal with an excess of injuries to skill position players in New England the past couple years and this season was no exception. While the MVP candidate is lauded in part because he wills the Patriots to wins regardless who he’s throwing to, it’s clear he’s even better when who he’s throwing to are stars like Edelman and Rob Gronkowski.
Brady’s numbers playing with both Gronk and Edelman against playing with just one or neither jump noticeably. Brady’s completion percentage is more than eight points higher (68.5 to 60.3), and his average yards per attempt is more than 1.5 higher (8.5 to 6.8).
Brady's Stats this season
| Stat | Edelman and Gronkowski playing | One or both injured |
|---|---|---|
| Completion Percentage | 68.5 | 60.3 |
| Yards/Attempt | 8.5 | 6.8 |
| Touchdowns/Interceptions | 17/2 | 19/5 |
| Total QBR (ESPN) | 78.1 | 49.8 |
*Brady played nine games with both Edelman and Gronkowski, seven with one or both injured
The biggest jump is in ESPN’s stat Total QBR, intended to measure a quarterback’s overall performance, was almost 30 points higher (78.1 to 49.8).
Brady did, however, throw fewer touchdowns with both players at his disposal. In nine games with both Gronk and Edelman, the All-Pro QB threw 17 touchdowns and two interceptions. In seven games without them, he threw 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. That’s not a huge discrepancy, but could be explained by the 5’10 Edelman’s lack of red zone prowess.
Brady’s always good, there’s no denying that. But with Gronk and Edelman in the lineup, he’s even better, maybe even way better. That’s good news for the Patriots.